While social media has been around for more than 20 years, many businesses in print are still underutilising what can be a very powerful tool. Here, LFR takes a look at the different platforms, picking out the areas that offer the most value to printing companies.
More than five billion people were using social media by the start of 2024, according to a report by DataReportal. Such is the growth rate of total users that this figure is expected to surpass six billion by 2028, which is nothing short of remarkable, considering social media only really came to fruition in the early 2000s.
Whether it’s sharing holiday photos with your personal network on Facebook, getting into an argument with someone on the other side of the planet on X (or Twitter for pre-Elon users), or even trying out the latest dance trends on TikTok, social media really has no boundaries.
While this is all well and good for use in your personal life, it is how you use these platforms to support and grow your business that has proved a challenge for many working within the printing industry.
Content conundrum
It is clear that some businesses have a much better understanding of social media than others. They have a good idea of the type of content that users want to see and will help generate and draw in more customers.
For example, simply throwing out a few “tweets” (if they can still be called that) here and there, or putting up the odd post on Facebook, is not enough to capture the attention and imagination of the savvy social media user that often spend hours a day trawling through their feeds. These posts are going to be ignored and most likely get lost in the myriad posts that appear in front of consumers.
So, how do you know what is relevant to your target audience and will represent the values and practices of your business? Some advice on this comes from the National Federation of Self Employed & Small Businesses (FSB), which said there is no one-size-fits-all solution or method to social media content. It is down to the business to establish what will work for them.
“Some brands are visual and lifestyle-based, such as furniture stores, whereas others have in-depth case studies ready and waiting to meet their new readership online,” the FSB said. “What you choose will depend on your type of business, as well as the demographic you are aiming for. There are multiple routes to take.”
Platform number, what?
The type of content you put out is one thing, while your choice of platform is a whole other matter. For example, amusing videos on TikTok might work for one type of business, but for another seeking a more formal option, it might not be the right route to go, with LinkedIn perhaps the more suited option.
“From the more ads-based approach of Facebook to the spontaneity of TikTok, it can be daunting to pick the right social media platform for your brand and audience, as there are so many to choose from, which is why knowing who you are talking to is crucial,” the FSB said.
With this, the FSB picks up on the importance of demographic data, which is statistical data collected to measure and research how well a product or service is doing. Usually, this is measured against characteristics such as age, gender and professional or social status.
“Understanding these demographics and how they apply to social media helps you to target those you want to reach,” the FSB said. “They also show where you need to focus your marketing efforts and content energy the most. For example, if you want to market to a Gen Z and Millennial audience between the ages of 18-29-years-old, Snapchat (41%), TikTok (35%), and Instagram (32%) are your best bet.
“Another example would be that LinkedIn is a B2B platform aimed at business owners and professionals to help them network and connect. In contrast, Instagram is more commonly used by direct-to-consumer (D2C) brands.”
This is backed up by official advice from the government, which said it is important to know and understand your audience before ploughing time, effort and money into social media.
“It’s important to understand which channels your customers are likely to use,” its guidance reads. “Just as you would do with your UK strategy, you’ll need to thoroughly research your target market.
“Usage of some channels varies by age group. For example, if you’re selling products aimed at the under 25s, you might focus more on Instagram or TikTok, rather than Facebook. There are also channels which might be specific to different regions. For example, in South Korea the majority of the population use a search engine called Naver, which has two social media channels – Naver Chat and Naver Blog.”
So, where should you focus?
From this advice, it is clear to see that each platform available to printers offers its range of advantages and disadvantages. It is down to each business to establish which one is most suited to them, their customers and overall target audience.
To highlight some of these pros and cons, let us go through each of the major platforms one at a time, breaking down which one might be the best for your business.
Beginning with the platform that really kickstarted the social media revolution in the mid-2000s – and whose launch made for an entertaining Hollywood film in ‘The Social Network’ – Facebook. First off, Facebook has more users than any other social platform, with more than three billion monthly average users worldwide at the last count.
Many regard this as the go-to platform for businesses; it allows you to post all manner of content, including longer videos, can be used to directly communicate with customers via in-built messaging and comments, and enables users to share content through external links, or guest posts with images and short text.
“Facebook groups can also be created to stay in touch with customers and to communicate with them as business owners,” the FSB said. “Groups are online communities within the Facebook platform where users with common interests or goals can interact, share content, and engage in discussions.
“For businesses, Facebook groups offer significant benefits by fostering a sense of community and enabling direct interaction with customers. They provide a space for businesses to share exclusive content, gather feedback, and build deeper relationships with their audience.
“It is the perfect platform to promote content from your active blog or to share various resources and guides with your readers. The Facebook algorithm also loves video content, so try sharing some behind-the-scenes videos using your phone.”
· X (or Twitter in old English)
Before Elon got his hands on it, Twitter was coveted by many businesses, using it to interact with customers around the world. However, these days, X, as it is now known, is seeing less usage, with people logging off worldwide.
That said, it remains a useful tool for businesses. It is much faster paced than Facebook, with posts trending and shifting quickly. For this reason, most companies use it for sharing news, comments and updates, rather than in-depth or more visual pieces that may be better suited to other platforms.
The retweet function also means users can share other pages’ content and promote their posts. The FSB said: “Promoting content from other accounts is a brilliant way to increase engagement rates with multiple audiences, grow your network of potential clients, and help build a sense of community by fostering a relationship with other users on the platform.”
As for content type, images and designed content, such as posters or infographics, can help to raise awareness of offers, promotions or products. Shorter videos can also help catch the attention of scrollers, while using hashtags can help spread the world about your company, with users able to “follow” certain hashtag topics.
Seen as the more “serious” option, LinkedIn was previously regarded as a place for people to post their CV online, allowing them to update it with work updates, help connect with other professionals and share career news online.
Since its early days, LinkedIn has evolved to become something of a ‘Facebook for Business’, with companies worldwide sharing updates, news and other content to followers on their main feed page. The serious nature of LinkedIn has also reduced in recent years, with more people switching to light-hearted posts in amidst the professional content that still pops up on feeds.
It may not be the most effective platform to pick up new customers on the fly or reach out to clients in a local community, but it is an excellent way of connecting with other businesses and professionals that may require your services in another sense. There is also the bonus of seeking out new workers on LinkedIn, with the ‘Jobs’ function allowing you to connect with experienced workers across all areas of the business.
“LinkedIn is great for sharing any changes you are making in your business to adapt to a current trend or to provide unique industry insights,” the FSB said “It is mainly used as a professional platform to share newsworthy or work-related content. As such, it’s a good place to share case study stories and content aimed at business owners or working professionals.
“Give your audience an insight into company culture and share any networking events or awards you attend.”
Instagram has seen tremendous growth in recent years, with its most recent data for 2024 showing 2.25 billion monthly active users, more than 800 million ahead of 2020. Where this differs to Facebook and X is that Instagram is highly visual, with posts being about pictures and videos, rather than the short block of text that accompanies them.
Of course, print companies take pride in the work their create, and Instagram offers them a fantastic opportunity to not only show off interesting projects in the form of videos, but also offer further insight and a behind-the-scenes look at production through videos and even live streams.
On this note, Instagram was the first to make use of a “story” function. This works differently to the standard posts, appearing at the top of users’ pages (if they follow the account) and shows short snippets of pictures and images in a story format. This might be useful for telling the story of an open day event or a trip to an exhibition, allowing you to post short content while on the move, ahead of a more in-depth piece later on in the day.
There are also a whole host of filters and features being added to Instagram Stories every day, offering new ways to interact with customers. These include question stickers, polls and links. On top of this is the ‘Reels’ video function, with the average engagement rate being almost 2% – about double the rate of other post types, according to Social Insider.
“Recommended best practices for Instagram include posting brand-relevant content regularly however be cautious not to over-post, as this comes across as out of touch and could irritate your users,” the FSB said.
“Know your brand with your adverts and posts by keeping up with your marketing plan, and by making your posts visually consistent. Don’t take this as you need to make your feed a scrolling advert, these graphics or images must be visually engaging.”
· TikTok
Concluding with the platform that has drawn more than one billion users since 2020, TikTok. Very much younger-facing platform, TikTok is all about videos, allowing businesses to share everything from news of new products and solutions to their staff taking part in the latest dance trend.
The key to this platform is connecting with young people. According to Statista, 78% of Gen X in the US in 2023 were using TikTok.
On this point, the FSB advised: “This is a statistic you will want to pay attention to as the growing sales market on the app is mainly populated by this demographic and audience. TikTok certainly has its own style that is tough to replicate, with the main function seemingly being a natural seamless viewing experience.
“As the name suggests, time flies when on the app and many users get sort of hypnotised by the endless content to scroll through. This is a good thing as the audiences are active, the sheer amount of content to compete with is mind-blowing.”
However, the platform’s light-hearted nature might not be a perfect fit for every company, so it is crucial for you to establish whether you can put out the right sort of content and if this is the type of customer that you want to connect with.
Is there anything else to consider?
The short answer? Yes, there is a whole lot more to think about than just the type of content you want to post and which platform to publish it on. Primarily, the UK government said you need to look at whether you want to use social media to grow brand awareness or sell to the customer, as this will influence whether you focus on organic growth or paid advertising.
Organic growth is simply gaining a social media following through recommendations, word of mouth, and engaging content that you have paid to promote. While this can help boost brand awareness and build trust in a business, it can be tricky to post new and relevant content regularly, as well as compete with other businesses doing the same.
If sales is your goal, paid advertising could be the way forward – and is available on all the platforms mentioned here. This works by creating adverts and content you pay to promote, with this appearing on the social media feeds of your target audience.
“It’s a good way to get your products noticed or to make one-off sales, but the costs need to be closely managed,” official government advice said. “And it’s unlikely to build a loyal brand following.
“If your goal is to sell, make sure you always have clear next steps with call to actions – such as ‘buy now’. And where possible, set up your shopping baskets within your social media channels. For example, you can enable your customers to add products to their online shopping baskets directly in Facebook and Instagram.”
Before you get too trigger happy and start throwing money at adverts, it is recommended to start small, so that you do not blow your entire budget before really getting going. You would be amazed how easy it is to burn through a social media budget!
“For example, if you’re looking to build a following in the US with 20-30 year old females, you can use geo-fencing to restrict who sees your ads,” the government said. “You may focus on states and cities with university campuses and use it as a testing ground – A/B testing two messages on a small sample size.
“There’s lots of tools you can use to test the success of your social media activity – but to truly understand if it’s a good return on investment you’ll need to set clear objectives.”
To be honest, we could go on and on about the pros and cons of social media as the tools and technology behind these platforms continue to evolve almost on a daily basis. A safe bottom line for this article would be to consider if social media is the right step for your business; do you need it to grow and can you commit enough resources to do it properly?
After all, there is nothing worse than a half-hearted Instagram post of the sad-looking office Christmas tree with a generic season’s greetings message to customers.
